BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Raul Domínguez was relaxed. The third-year manager of the Double-A Somerset Patriots was in workout clothes, sitting in the dugout.
He had given his players a late report time — a savvy call, considering the first-pitch temperature that day ended up being 94 degrees at TD Bank Ballpark. It was mostly quiet, and he took time to dive into the recent performances of several of the New York Yankees prospects playing for him.
Spencer Jones showing more consistency
For the last two weeks, center fielder Spencer Jones has shown everything the Yankees dreamed about when they picked him in the first round out of Vanderbilt in 2022.
Entering Thursday, he was hitting .432 with six home runs, 12 RBIs and a 1.406 OPS over his previous 12 games. He had struck out 13 times in 44 at-bats (29.5 percent) — a much better clip than the 44.4 percent strikeout rate he put up in 36 games to start the season.
Domínguez said the Yankees’ internal numbers showed he had been making better swing decisions as of late.
“Yeah, we can see that improve,” the manager said. “The goal is just to see Spencer Jones stay consistent.”
This season, Jones has been using a much wider stance with his hands held further away from his body than before. He missed about three weeks in May with an intercostal injury. Domínguez said he thinks Jones is comfortable with his new swing and “with the results he’s getting, he’s got to keep going with it.” Overall, Jones went into Thursday hitting .271 with 16 homers, 31 RBIs and a .989 OPS in 48 games at Double A. The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked him as the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect.
Domínguez added that Jones appears to be playing better defense, too. Though Jones flashed good speed and a good first step last year, he’s turning more difficult fly balls into outs.
“Numbers-wise, he’s catching more balls in the gap,” the manager said. “Those max-effort plays. He’s converting those balls. Last year, he had the really good first step, the really good acceleration in the outfield. It was sometimes frustrating because he didn’t convert those balls. Finally, this year, he’s doing the same thing with the first step and the acceleration, but the difference is that he’s covering those plays.”
George Lombard Jr. leading
George Lombard Jr. had a rough start after his promotion to Double A, but the 20-year-old shortstop has been better as of late. Entering Thursday, Lombard had hit .265 with a .890 OPS over his prior nine games, and he had raised his overall wRC+ to 110 at the level.
Domínguez said he’s seen a leader in Lombard, Law’s No. 1 Yankees prospect and No. 98 in the game entering this season. The manager said he’s particularly noticed how Lombard makes a point to relay information about the opposing pitcher to his teammates after each of his at-bats.
“Sometimes we have presentations to the players about being a leader and being a good teammate, and what it looks like when you go to the big leagues and everything,” Domínguez said. “But that’s a gift. Not everybody can be George Lombard.”
George Lombard Jr., pictured in spring training, has been improving. Manager Raul Domínguez said he sees a leader emerging. (Dave Nelson / Imagn Images)
Shades of Brett Gardner
After second baseman Roc Riggio hit a pair of homers versus Binghamton on June 8, Domínguez turned to Dan Fiorito, a Yankees roving defense coach.
“When he hits a homer,” Domínguez told Fiorito, “it reminds me of Brett Gardner. Just a swing like that. Little guy. Strong. ‘No, I’m going to crush the ball.’ He’s aggressive. He’s competitive.”
Of course, Riggio has a long way to go before getting Gardner comparisons in the major leagues, but it was high praise from his manager.
He’d earned it, having hit .257 with 14 homers and 33 RBIs among rookie ball, High A and Double A this season entering Thursday. The 2023 fourth-round pick had a .880 OPS in 18 games at Somerset.
Domínguez added that Riggio is ultracompetitive, as Gardner was, and he’s continuing to develop defensively.
Rafael Flores, Dylan Jasso standing out
Catcher Rafael Flores (No. 13 Yankees prospect) has been making strides defensively and still calls ex-Yankee Jose Trevino one of his mentors.
“I know he has a really good relationship with Trevino,” Domínguez said. “He talks to Trevino a lot about everything. He’ll be like, ‘I talked to Trevino about this and this and this.’ Seems like he’s learning a lot from the big-league guys. He doesn’t talk too much, but just to have him behind home plate almost every day; he’s a really good leader when he’s catching.”
The Yankees traded Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason for reliever Fernando Cruz.
The Yankees signed Flores as an undrafted free agent out of Rio Hondo College (Calif.) in 2022. Entering Thursday, he was hitting .282 with 12 homers, 45 RBIs and an .827 OPS in 70 games at Double A. He also had 19 doubles.
Third baseman Dylan Jasso, another undrafted Yankees hitter, stood out to Domínguez. The 22-year-old has 10 homers and an .835 OPS in 63 games at Double A.
“When he got here,” the manager said, “he started playing every day, and people started saying, ‘Hey, he can hit.’ And I was like, ‘OK, I want to see it.’ Then when he started hitting, (he was) hitting homers opposite field, pull side and center field. It was like, wow. He’s only 22 years old, and he’s playing a lot of third base, learning how to play. He’s really impressive (with) the ability he has to hit and to put the ball in play. I didn’t know he was that good of a hitter.”
(Top photo of Spencer Jones: Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)
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